Sambar [Vegetable and Dhal Curry]

Sambar

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Ready In: 35 min

Ingredients:

• Paruppu (cooked toor dhal) - 2 cups
• Sambar powder - 3 tsp
• Tamarind water - 1/3 cup

• Oil - 3 tsp
• Vegetables of your choice (Drumstick, cauliflower, carrot, small onion, potato, etc.) - 1-2 cups
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Tomato - 1
• Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds (kaduku) - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds (jeerakam) - 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds (venthayam) - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dhal (ulunthu) - 1/2 tsp
• Aesofoetida powder (perunkayam) - 1/8 tsp 
• Red chili powder - 1 tsp
• Fresh coriander - for garnishing
• Green chili - 2

Ingredients (From left): Chopped vegetables, mustard seeds, jeera seeds, black pepper, fenugreek seeds, urad dhal, aesofoetida powder

Directions:

1. Add the red chili powder and sliced tomato to the paruppu. Add the sambar powder next. Stir to mix well.
2. Heat the oil in a tawa. Add mustard seeds when the oil is hot. Add the urad dhal, jeera, fenugreek seeds, black pepper and aesofoetida powder. Add the vegetables and green chili and stir fry for 3 minutes. 
3. Add the stir fried vegetables to the pressure cooker with the paruppu mixture. Add the tamarind water and mix well.
4. Close the cooker and keep it on the flame until 1 whistle blows and stop the stove. Open when the pressure reduces. Heat for 2-3 minutes in low flame, add the chopped coriander for garnishing, and serve.

Cooking sambar - Adding the red chili powder and the sambar powder. Stir fry the vegetables and the spices. Add tamarind water. Pressure cook for 1 whistle so that the vegetables are cooked completely. Heat for some time and garnish with coriander leaves.

Sambar is ready!

Serving Suggestions:

• Tastes best with rice, ghee, appalam and a vegetable side dish.
• Best side dish for idli, dosa, and vada. 
• Sambar powder typically contains dry roasted coriander seeds, jeera, ,dried red chili, fenugreek seeds, black pepper, chana dhal, urad dhal, curry leaves, mustard seeds, aesofoetida, and turmeric that have been powdered together.